REVIEWS: NARS, KISS, ARDELL, URBAN DECAY

Feb10

Today after a disappointing trip to Ulta where every item on my list was sold out I made a quick stop at Sephora hoping to find it in stock there. I’ve been needing a new concealer since I’ve stopped tanning and my old one just doesn’t work anymore. For those of you familiar with MAC, I used to be somewhere between NC42-NC45. I recently went back to the MAC store the other week to get a new Studio Tech Foundation and found out that I am now NC30!

I have a scar on my nose from a piercing I took out that is not so easy to cover. The NARS concealer ( I purchased the custard shade) is a-mazing. I love that the thinner stick is easy to control and that it goes on dry. It feels sheer but it goes on opaque and allows you to build up the coverage without having to wait in between coats for it to set.

Rarely can I practice enough self control that I walk out of Sephora with just one item. Let’s be serious, I usually can’t go to the mall without stopping at more than one store.

The Ardell lashes work wonderfully and I have been using the brand for years. I think that for people like myself who were not blessed in the length, thickness, or fullness categories for lashes, this number looks the most natural. I have actually never tried any falsies by KISS before. These caught my attention because they have applicator strings attached to them on each side which is supposed to make application significantly easier. I’m going to try them out this weekend and will let you know how they turned out!

1. Cherry Kiss 2. Tangerine Twist 3. Jelly Bean

4. Caramel 5. Marshmellow 6. Angel Cake

Don’t all of these names sound delicious? I scored the last holiday pack that included a smaller version of all of the colors in the line. I believe this brand is carried by mostly Drugstores such as CVS as well as Target. Really sheer but would be really ideal for spring/summer. Fragrance free and not sticky.

This and the Tarte Amazonian Blush were the two items I was on the search for that turned out to be much harder to find then I had expected. I finally found it on my second time at Sephora and the blush I ordered online. I wore this to work, tennis practice, and got caught in an afternoon rain shower and it did not flake or smudge. (A tip if you mess up while applying waterproof mascara is to use a little bit of the Bliss Lid and Lash Wash (mentioned here) on a q-tip and correct. Because the remover has no oil or residue it works like a charm!)

Although this mascara did not volumize my lashes, it did instantly separate and lengthen. I used it in conjunction with my Lancome Hypnose and the pair work impressively well together. I will update this post with picture this weekend!

I’ve had this product for two or so weeks now, and so far so good. It is the fotruh brand of this type of product I own, and so far, it ties with one other brand as being the best. (This brand use to be sold at Target, they no longer carry it.) I’ve only used one of the three, but I’ve been satisfied with it, especially when comparing it to other models I’ve owned. If I continue to like it, I intend to order more, a good quality heated eye lash curler is a hard find!

That store is the devil! I’ll be just walking by it on my way to somheewre else and the next time I blink I’m standing in front of the sales clerk with a stack of Urban Decay, Sephora, and Too Faced being piled into little black and white bags, as she pulls the credit card from my poor, confused fingers.’Tis black magic.

Hi Marlena! I really enjoy your tuioatrls and your website. You have given me so much more confidence because I feel I have some better skills and techniques for applying makeup and making it look perfectly blended and professionally applied. And honestly, if you can help me, you can help anyone. You are a very talented teacher. Thanks so much for sharing your gifts with us.Do you have any suggestions on how to get eyeshadows to show up bright and bold on people with medium and dark skin tones? I love some of these looks but by the time they get on my lid, they barely show up, especially the lighter colors. Or if they do, I just look frosty. PLEASE HELP!! I don’t want to look frosty

I bought maascra at Target the other day…don’t judge me…I don’t normally shop for maascra there but I was desparate. I bought some Revlon…mostly because the brush was pretty cool and I was hoping for big things. Wrong-O! The maascra was gross and clumpy and flaky. I sure wish I had a Sephora to check out some non-yuck maascra.